Issue - meetings

            That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report of the Chief Officer (Planning and Environment) and subject to the applicant entering into a Section 106 obligation/Unilateral Undertaking to provide the following:-

a.         Payment of £49,028 towards educational provision/improvements (toilets) for Croes Atti Primary School;

b.         Contribution of £1,100 per dwelling in lieu of on-site open space provision to fund improvements to the adjacent play area at Croes Atti Lane.

If the obligation pursuant to Section 106 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as outlined above) is not completed within six months of the date of the committee resolution, the Chief Officer (Planning and Environment) be given delegated authority to REFUSE the application. 

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Officer (Planning and Environment) in respect of this application which had been the subject of a site visit on 21^st March 2016.  The usual consultations had been undertaken and the responses received detailed in the report.  Additional comments received since the preparation of the report were circulated at the meeting. 

            The officer detailed the background to the report and explained that this was an outline application with all other matters except access reserved for future consideration.  The site had had a number of industrial uses and the main issues for consideration related to archaeological implications of the development, flood risk and highways.  The site lay within flood zone C2 and there was a pond located to the west of the site.  A flood consequences assessment had been submitted with the application and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had no objections to the proposals subject to conditions relating to surface water and finished floor levels.  On the issue of archaeology, Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust (CPAT) had advised that the site fell within an area of high archaeological sensitivity and it was therefore considered that due to the brownfield nature of the site, it would be reasonable to condition any archaeological investigations to part of the reserved matters submission in order to inform the proposed layout. 

On the issue of access, it was proposed to create one access point to the centre of the site frontage to serve the proposed residential development and this had been accepted by Highways who had not submitted any objections to the proposals subject to the imposition of conditions as set out in their response.  Welsh Water had objected to a new connection in this location into the foul network as there was insufficient capacity in the existing network.  However, there were a number of businesses on this site which had connections into the network which would be replace those flows; calculations could be undertaken at the reserved matters stage.  Concerns had been raised about the impact on the residential amenity and any detailed layout would need to take account of the adjacent dwelling Rubern to ensure that there was no detrimental impact in terms of overlooking and to achieve a layout and design that was in scale with the adjacent property.  The Section 106 obligation related to educational contributions for Croes Atti Primary School and a contribution in lieu of on-site open space provision to fund improvements to the adjacent play area at Croes Atti Lane.         

            Councillor Ian Dunbar proposed the recommendation for approval which was duly seconded.  He said that Highways had provided assurances on highway issues and screening would be considered at the reserved matters stage to ensure that the neighbouring property was not overlooked. 

            The Local Member, Councillor Rita Johnson, raised concern about the nearby reservoir which was higher than the ground level of the site which was in a known flood risk area.  She quoted from Planning Policy Statement 25 which indicated that developments  ...  view the full minutes text for item 155